Testing, Collating, Analysing

From the beginning of week 2 students were tested on PROBE, GLOSS and PAT.  Data collected and shared with learners.  Very powerful to see shift and progress made by some of my learners.

Term 4 Rolling In - Feeling Successful

Term 4 Week 1  & 2 
Empower my learners by giving them decision -making power.
Learners were given topics of learning to choose from. For example during maths, I conduct a workshop on a topic, an expert in maths conduct a workshop on a different topic, the other teacher did another topic or students choose to work independently from the class site. 
This was amazing. There was buzzing noise of learners talking about their choices and learning.  I wish I have done this earlier.
On the other hand, I have learners that need support in making decision about what their learning need.  Again, this worked particularly well with maths. 
Writing was great too. We run workshops on different elements of writing. Thanks to R.Anderson from PB school for her writing slides.

Extra Support

During the first week of the holidays, I opened my learning space for workshops in reading , writing and maths. My learners were free to come. In the 3 days, I had 10 learners who want extra help. It was great to work with these learners. It showed the commitment they have for their learning.  I look forward to see their progress in term.  Well done to those learners.

Term 3 Reflection

Term 3 Reflection

FOCUS : - Empower Learners through Talks

This worked really well during maths as Talk Moves strategy was adopted and used. This has promoted discussion and sharing of ideas and understanding. This was particularly successful as learners talk using talking frame - this is sentence starters. Learners are gifted with language to be able to express their thinking. 

Feeling successful with it.

However, on the other hand, literacy did not go well. Lots of conversation but not much produced by learners. I have lots of hunches to why this is happening. 

Learning Among Teachers

Trip to Toki Pounamu Cluster in the West Coast was a very rewarding experience. Through listening, observation and conversation with the group, I build capacity to my knowledge and understanding of our Manaiakalani ways and pedagogy of teaching and learning. Visiting schools stirred a strong sense of appreciation of where we are and the work we do here in our schools.
Working in a small school has its pros and cons. I appreciate that St. Pius is not that small. It flashed back memories of how far I (St. Pius X School ) has grown in this digital era and using the Manaiakalani phyloso

Reflection

My preparation for the Hui has made me really reflect on my inquiry journey. I felt that I was empowered in my journey to dig deeper to why some of my learners are struggling to cope with strategies in place.
During the interactive session, I talked to people who visited my display and had some thought provoking discussions and some affirming. What a great way to share our journey.
 The power of talk.

Loved sharing my journey with A Dixon

Evidence of Students reflection

A screenshot from two students who wrote this in their blog.  This has given me a feeling of success that my learners has take in what is happening in our learning space.

My Journey so far.....

Feeling Successful

Watching my learners sharing their thinking with their Thinking Buddy is very rewarding and powerful. The support they get from each other is very rewarding for themselves and me.

LEARNING FROM COLLEAGUES

Today I visited Mat’s Goodwin’s classroom at Pt England School to observe his Maths lesson. I really enjoyed observing the interaction between teacher and students and students and students. There is peace and harmony in the classroom and it’s evident that class size matter. There were 20 learners in the space at the time. The  discussion and sharing of ideas among the groups and the whole class was fantastic. Mat was able to reached out to each learner.

I can see that Mat operated the learning space in  a systematic way and I really enjoyed it.

SPX CoL Staff Meeting

Had my CoL staff meeting at SPX - Monday 21 August. This has stirred great discussion as we reflected on our in school inquiry. The process of our in school inquiry reflect the CoL, however, differ in format.

All staff were receptive and have good understanding of the CoL challenges. We identify challenges that relate to us and teachers and school - 2, 3, 4, & 6.

We all had the opportunity to look and explore the CoL teachers blogs and have left some comments. SPX teachers comments.

LEARNING FROM COLLEAGUES

Today I visited Mat’s Goodwin’s classroom at Pt England School to observe his Maths lesson. I really enjoyed observing the interaction between teacher and students and students and students. There is peace and harmony in the classroom and it’s evident that class size matter. There were 20 learners in the space at the time. The  discussion and sharing of ideas among the groups and the whole class was fantastic. Mat was able to reached out to each learner.

I can see that Mat operated the learning space in  a systematic way and I really enjoyed it.

Visible thinking through talking

Week 4: Term 3

Visible thinking through talking.

Feeling so successful this week as I can see that my learners are developing/gaining cofidence to share through talking. Have been introducing Talk moves and speaking frames into our learning space especially in maths. I am seeing huge improvement in learners expressing their ideas.  Giving learners speaking frames is very powerful, especially second language learners

Reference :  Talk moves and Speaking Frames

Reflection

Today at the Leaders PLG i was affirmed and reminded to refer to the wealth of resources that we have within the Manaiakalani, such as Class on Air, the MIT, CoL Inquiry, Research from Wolfisher etc. Having watched Rob’s recount lesson was evident of this.  I was amazed what I learn from it and what really affirmed my practise.

In addition, in the group discussion, we share a common understanding of using dialogic approach in our learning spaces. It is encouraging our learners to make their thinking visible through talking. This is what I am trying to do this term is to encourage the talking using speaking frames.

Week 3: Term 3

Staff meeting this week was sharing on our journey as Teaching  Inquiry.  I had to lead the discussion and have to post the question that Graeme Aitken: asked at the Leader of Learning in Term 2.  “What are we trying to achieve?” (in our learning spaces). The discussions with our small staff was thought provoking and reassuring that we have shared the same understanding as Dr Aitken, even though not in exactly the same words.

Achieving those is what we inquire into our teaching.  It was evident that talk moves. The rich conversation we had and my hope that each of us will take it forward.

From Dr Graeme Aitken

My Inquiry so far...

Reflecting on my journey so far, I encountered  a huge challenges due to various factors. First, the class size was too huge. The learning needs on my students is too wide.  The Aiga philosophy worked at certain situation but mostly a struggle.  I felt that the learners are too casual and are too familiar with each other and often bring their social discussion to our learning space. I felt at times heading onto a brick wall.  However, term 2 came and I introduced daily reflection. This was great as we have set time in the day to reflect.  This helped with keeping us focus.
From the Gloss and Probe test I realised the huge need to focus on our thinking and talking as a visible way of sharing our thinking. Roll in term 3.

Empowerment and Ownership

Student-led conference : Empowerment and Ownership

Putting students in the driver's seat of their parent-teacher conferences creates opportunities for reflection, engagement, and agency.

Had been involved in this Student/Parent/Teacher conference since the turn of tide. This year with my inquiry focus, the SPT conference really made think of this powerful situation for the students. Students taking charge of the 10 minutes meeting.

It was very important to spend time to prepare learners for the conference. It made them feel in control of the situation.

However, this situation needs to transfer to the daily activities in our learning space. Still some learners struggled with taking their learning seriously.  I looked for support from the management. I am overjoyed with  the positive response that I will co-teach with Mrs L for literacy and numeracy. I look forward for this change.

Reflection and Planning

Term 2 Struggle

Having to support learners at the Nu’u to be independent while I carry out testing - PROBE and GLOSS, was a real struggle for me during the first 5 weeks of term 2.

I planned and supported my learners to create daily learning plan. With this idea, I gave my learners independence and choice within a frame work. They have a choice of what they will work on as long they complete the learning task set for the day. Week 1  was spend orientating them to how we were going to work in the next 4 to 5 weeks. Week 2 - testing began. This was a real struggle. The noise level was huge, the interaction was more soical than learning behaviour. Had to constantly re-direct my learners. What’s next?

However, new information surfaced from this test and working one to one. There is a huge need for development of talking about learning. TALK, TALK, TALK. To have their thinking visible. So I searched for support.

Students Reflection

Throughout term 2 I had been supporting my learners to do self-reflection using De Bono hats. Reflection is about students becoming aware of their own thinking processes. It helps my learners think of the learning tasks in front of them and to reflect after completing the task.

However, this has become laborious tasks to some of my learners. It was obvious they need more support and had to re organize and re- arrange how I do the reflection.  

Reflection

Term 2 struggles

My learners are very causal about learning. I reflect on myself, on what do I do that let my students behave this way.  They are worse on my release day. At times, I felt so depressed hearing the behaviour problems. I have expectation in place. We have a class treaty. We have  Aiga group and motivate them through point systems. It does not sustain behaviour. I decided to find out from learners. So I created a survey to find out. It is evident from the survey that students want to learn and be focus. So we have Nu’u meeting and discuss expectation and routine in the learning space. Click here for the survey.

Gathering Evidence

Sharing with Parents

Can’t leave parents participation to chance.

I invited my parents to our learning space. I put out this statement for discussion.

“Help me to empower your child to act on his/her learning.”

I have 35 learners - 32 families.

22 families turned up to our sharing evening on the 2 March. Every parent was able to share on how can we support our students to have power to act on their learning.

It was a buzzing evening, where parents and students talked about LEARNING

According to Y. Kim / Educational Research Review 4 (2009) 80–102 the parents in the school as an important factor in children’s academic achievement,

Learn

Gathering Evidence

From the data feedback from Wolf Fisher and the result of PAT test in week 3 of term 1, I analysed my learners' results and referred to NZCER - Student Over Time Progress Report. This has given me a clear path for supporting them.  It was a very powerful tool for discussion with the learner.  They can see the trend. Learners understand the learning journey.

As TKI  stated that the prime owners of assessment data are the students, and that sharing the data enables students and teachers and parents to work in partnership to improve teaching and learning

This information helped me to keep a close monitor of learners that are at the boarder line.

COMPREHENSION

	Below	Need close monitor	Confidently At	Above	Total students in Year level
Year 8	4	9	1	1	15
Year 7	5	4	3	2	14
Year 6			2	1	3

STAR

	Below	Need close monitor	Confidently AT	Above	Total students in year level
Year 8	4	8	4		16
Year 7	6	4	6		14
Year 6		1	2	1	3

MATHS

	Below	Need close monitor	Confidently AT	Above	Total students in year level
Year 8	1	10	5		16
Year 7	6	5	4		15
Year 6			2	1

Example of student progress report.

CoL Focus

My Inquiry Focus:  To develop Student Agency within my learners. I want to empower learners to take responsibility for their learning.  

To know where my learners are achieving at in response to the New Zealand National Standards and what skills, knowledge and capabilities are required to progress their learning further

Teaching As Inquiry

2017 - Embarking on a new journey - CoL

Teaching as Inquiry - I have chosen Goal No. 4 -

Increase the achievement of Years 1-10 learners, with a focus on Years 7-10, in reading, writing and maths, as measured against National Standards and agreed targets.

Throughout my journey this year I will be following the Maniakalani inquiry model to share my experiences, success
and difficulties encountered.

For my Inquiry this year (2017) I will work on developing strategies to empower my year 7 & 8 students to act on their learning.

My question is: How will  my practise develop /enhance student agency - giving them power to act on their learning to raise their  achievement/at NS..

Whakatauki

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini.It is not my strength alone, but the strength of many that contribute to my success.

Innovate

AIGA PHILOSPY IN THE NU’U LEARNING SPACE

I introduced working in Aiga as I have 100% Pasifika learners and have sibblings and cousins in the Nu’u learning space. The idea of working or learning using the Aiga philosphy is with the knowledge and experience of being Pasifika. Aiga or whanau or family is quite strong. They want to support their own Aiga. The Aiga is  mixed level and mixed ability and skills.  They have the support of each other with learning and behavoiur.

I teach Aiga not ability group. However, I meet with  target students from each Aiga to ensure they are on track with their learning.

At beginning of Term 1, I scan my learners according to the OTJ at the end of 2016.

My challenge is to support learners that are below to shift to AT and the well below learners to shit to below or AT.

	YEAR LEVEL	WELL BELOW	BELOW	AT	ABOVE
MATHS	8		4	10
	7	3	5	4	1
	6		1		2
TOTAL		3	10	14	3
READING	8		5	9
	7	3	3	7
	6		1	1	1
TOTAL		3	9	17	1
WRITING	8		6	8
	7	3	4	6
	6		1	1	1
TOTAL		3	11	15	1

To make accelerate progress, I have to support learners to make a year progress/shift.